China Rejects Zimbabwe Sanctions

China’s foreign minister has signaled Beijing will oppose UN sanctions to punish Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe over allegations he used violence to influence the outcome of last week’s run-off elections. From Al-Jazeera:

Speaking after talks in Beijing with Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, Yang Jiechi said the most pressing concern was to “stabilise the situation in Zimbabwe”.

“We hope the parties concerned can engage in serious dialogue to find a proper solution,” Yang said, adding that “China as a responsible country will also play a constructive role in this process.”

Rice had been hoping to persuade China – a leading ally and trading partner of Zimbabwe – to join US efforts to step up pressure on Robert Mugabe, who was sworn in for a controversial sixth term on Sunday as Zimbabwe’s president.

As the article notes, China is one of the primary suppliers of weapons to Mugabe’s regime. Read more about China’s role in Zimbabwe via CDT.